Thanks, as always, to everyone who voted in the year-end poll. We have a winner, and it’s the series I pretty much expected to take the top spot, Vinland Saga. You swapped Mob Psycho 100 II and Dororo from where I had them (it was a close vote) and bumped Beastars up a couple of spots, but overall the top of your list your list looked an awful lot like mine. The biggest difference, really, was the big WSJ next gen titles – Yakusoku no Neverland, Kimetsu no Yaiba and Dr. Stone – polling way higher with you than where I had them (Neverland was the only one to make my Top 20). But considering Kimetsu is probably going to sweep just about every other year-end fan poll on the planet, I’m proud of your stubborn independent streak.
One area where the readers and myself were in definite agreement was that the top three series of 2019 were head and shoulders above anything else – the third-place series (Dororo) didn’t miss doubling the votes of the fourth-place one (Beastars) by much. That layer of cream at the top of the milk bottle was the strength of this anime year, no question about it.
| Votes | Overall | |
|---|---|---|
| Vinland Saga | 98 | 12.27% |
| Mob Psycho 100 II | 78 | 9.76% |
| Dororo | 73 | 9.14% |
| Beastars | 41 | 5.13% |
| Kono Oto Tomare! | 41 | 5.13% |
| Sarazanmai | 29 | 3.63% |
| Yakusoku no Neverland | 26 | 3.25% |
| Kimetsu no Yaiba | 25 | 3.13% |
| Doukyonin wa Hiza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue. | 24 | 3% |
| Kanata no Astra | 23 | 2.88% |
| Dr. Stone | 21 | 2.63% |
| Fruits Basket (2019) | 19 | 2.38% |
| High Score Girl II | 19 | 2.38% |
| Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunouse | 19 | 2.38% |
| Hoshiai no Sora | 18 | 2.25% |
| Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru | 18 | 2.25% |
| Given | 16 | 2% |
| Shingeki no Kyojin 3rd Season | 15 | 1.88% |
| Boogiepop wa Warawanai | 14 | 1.75% |
| Carole & Tuesday | 10 | 1.25% |
| JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Ougon no Kaze | 10 | 1.25% |
| Mo Dao Zu Shi 2 | 10 | 1.25% |
| Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2 | 9 | 1.13% |
| Domestic na Kanojo | 7 | 0.88% |
| Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan wo Erandeiraremasen | 7 | 0.88% |
| Kemurikusa | 7 | 0.88% |
| Zoku Owarimonogatari | 7 | 0.88% |
| Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo. | 6 | 0.75% |
| One Punch Man 2nd Season | 6 | 0.75% |
| Bungou Stray Dogs 3rd Season | 5 | 0.63% |
| Mayonaka no Occult Koumuin | 5 | 0.63% |
| Mix | 5 | 0.63% |
| Psycho-Pass 3 | 5 | 0.63% |
| Sword Art Online Alicization + War of Underworld | 4 | 0.50% |
| Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari | 4 | 0.50% |
| Fukigen na Mononokean: Tsuzuki | 3 | 0.38% |
| Hinomaru Sumo | 3 | 0.38% |
| Hitoribocchi no ○○ Seikatsu | 3 | 0.38% |
| Kochoki: Wakaki Nobunaga | 3 | 0.38% |
| Naka no Hito Genome [Jikkyouchuu] | 3 | 0.38% |
| Piano no Mori 2nd Season | 3 | 0.38% |
| Watashi ni Tenshi ga Maioritai | 3 | 0.38% |
| 3D Kanojo: Real Girl 2nd Season | 2 | 0.25% |
| Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou | 2 | 0.25% |
| Assassins Pride | 2 | 0.25% |
| Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru? | 2 | 0.25% |
| Kidou Senshi Gundam: The Origin (2019) | 2 | 0.25% |
| Quanzhi Gaoshou 2nd Season | 2 | 0.25% |
| RADIANT | 2 | 0.25% |
| Senryuu Shoujo | 2 | 0.25% |
| Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken | 2 | 0.25% |
| Actors: Songs Connection | 1 | 0.13% |
| Africa no Salaryman | 1 | 0.13% |
| BEM | 1 | 0.13% |
| Black Clover | 1 | 0.13% |
| Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai | 1 | 0.13% |
| Chou Kadou Girl ⅙: Amazing Stranger | 1 | 0.13% |
| Cop Craft | 1 | 0.13% |
| Endro~! | 1 | 0.13% |
| Enen no Shouboutai | 1 | 0.13% |
| Ensemble Stars! | 1 | 0.13% |
| Fairy Tail: Final Series | 1 | 0.13% |
| Girly Air Force | 1 | 0.13% |
| Go-toubun no Hanayome (5-tobun no Hanatome) | 1 | 0.13% |
| Houkago Saikoro Club | 1 | 0.13% |
| Isekai Quartet | 1 | 0.13% |
| Joshi Kausei | 1 | 0.13% |
| Joshikousei no Mudazukai | 1 | 0.13% |
| Karakuri Circus | 1 | 0.13% |
| Kenja no Mago | 1 | 0.13% |
| King of Prism: Shiny Seven Stars | 1 | 0.13% |
| Kono Yo no Hate de Koi wo Utau Shoujo YU-NO | 1 | 0.13% |
| Kouya no Kotobuki Hikoutai | 1 | 0.13% |
| Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note | 1 | 0.13% |
| Machikado Mazoku | 1 | 0.13% |
| Ore wo Suki nano wa Omae dake ka yo | 1 | 0.13% |
| Revisions | 1 | 0.13% |
| RobiHachi | 1 | 0.13% |
| Shinchou Yuusha: Kono Yuusha ga Ore Tuee Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru | 1 | 0.13% |
| Shingeki no Bahamut: Manaria Friends | 1 | 0.13% |
| Shoumetsu Toshi | 1 | 0.13% |
| Starmyu 3rd Season | 1 | 0.13% |
| Tejina Senpai | 1 | 0.13% |
| Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator | 1 | 0.13% |
| Ultraman | 1 | 0.13% |
| W’z | 1 | 0.13% |
| Z/X: Code Reunion | 1 | 0.13% |
| 7 Seeds | 0 | 0% |
| Ame-iro Cocoa: Side G | 0 | 0% |
| Ani ni Tsukeru Kusuri wa Nai! 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Bakumatsu: Crisis | 0 | 0% |
| BanG Dream! 2nd Season | 0 | 0% |
| Bermuda Triangle: Colorful Pastrale | 0 | 0% |
| B-Project: Zecchou＊Emotion | 0 | 0% |
| Choujin Koukousei-tachi wa Isekai demo Yoyuu de Ikinuku you desu! | 0 | 0% |
| Chuubyou Gekihatsu Boy | 0 | 0% |
| Cinderella Girls Gekijou: Climax Season | 0 | 0% |
| Circlet Princess | 0 | 0% |
| Date A Live III | 0 | 0% |
| Dimension High School | 0 | 0% |
| Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru no Darou ka II | 0 | 0% |
| Egao no Daika | 0 | 0% |
| Fairy Gone | 0 | 0% |
| Granbelm | 0 | 0% |
| Granblue Fantasy The Animation Season 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Grimms Notes The Animation | 0 | 0% |
| Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise | 0 | 0% |
| Gunjou no Magmel | 0 | 0% |
| Gyakuten Saiban: Sono “Shinjitsu”, Igi Ari! Season 2 (Ace Attorney) | 0 | 0% |
| Hachigatsu no Cinderella Nine | 0 | 0% |
| Han-Gyaku-sei Million Arthur 2nd Season | 0 | 0% |
| Hataage! Kemono Michi | 0 | 0% |
| Hulaing Babies | 0 | 0% |
| Ikki Tousen: Western Wolves | 0 | 0% |
| Isekai Cheat Magician | 0 | 0% |
| Kakegurui XX | 0 | 0% |
| Kandagawa Jet Girls | 0 | 0% |
| Katsute Kami Datta Kemono-tachi e | 0 | 0% |
| Kawaikereba Hentai demo Suki ni Natte Kuremasu ka? | 0 | 0% |
| Keishichou Tokumubu Tokushu Kyouakuhan Taisakushitsu Dainanaka: Tokunana | 0 | 0% |
| Kemono Friends 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Kengan Ashura | 0 | 0% |
| Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya | 0 | 0% |
| Maou-sama, Retry! | 0 | 0% |
| Meiji Tokyo Renka | 0 | 0% |
| Midara na Ao-chan wa Benkyou ga Dekinai | 0 | 0% |
| Mini Toji | 0 | 0% |
| Namu Amida Butsu!: Rendai Utena | 0 | 0% |
| Nande Koko ni Sensei ga!? | 0 | 0% |
| No Guns Life | 0 | 0% |
| Nobunaga-sensei no Osanazuma | 0 | 0% |
| Null Peta | 0 | 0% |
| Pastel Memories | 0 | 0% |
| Re:Stage! Dream Days♪ | 0 | 0% |
| Rifle Is Beautiful | 0 | 0% |
| Senki Zesshou Symphogear XV | 0 | 0% |
| Sewayaki Kitsune no Senko-san | 0 | 0% |
| Shin Chuuka Ichiban! | 0 | 0% |
| Sounan desu ka? | 0 | 0% |
| Stand My Heroes: Piece of Truth | 0 | 0% |
| Strike Witches: 501 Butai Hasshin Shimasu! | 0 | 0% |
| Tenka Hyakken: Meiji-kan e Youkoso! | 0 | 0% |
| Toaru Majutsu no Index III | 0 | 0% |
| Try Knights | 0 | 0% |
| Tsujou Kougeki ga Zentai Kougeki de 2-kai Kougeki no Okaasan wa Suki desu ka? | 0 | 0% |
| Uchi no Musume no Tame naraba, Ore wa Moshikashitara Maou mo Taoseru kamo Shirenai. | 0 | 0% |
| Ueno-san wa Bukiyou | 0 | 0% |
| Val x Love | 0 | 0% |
| Watashi, Nouryoku wa Heikinchi de tte Itta yo ne! | 0 | 0% |
| Yami Shibai 7 | 0 | 0% |
| Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki | 0 | 0% |
Miyu Fan
January 13, 2020 at 5:28 pmWell just like how I said in Winter 2019, Vinland Saga will save 2019! Even back then I knew the Top 3 would be Dororo, Mob Psycho and Vinland Saga. Kind of pity that we didn’t get an excellent original anime (should have been Hoshiai no Sora if it wasn’t cut into half), in fact I felt like all the original anime (which are mostly detective/police story) kind of a bit lackluster for 2019.
2020 for manga adaptations are already coming out strong with Hanako-kun, To Your Eternity etc, so I hope we finally got a great original anime this year, it’s too long overdue already.
Guardian Enzo
January 13, 2020 at 5:32 pmI think Sarazanmai was a legit Top 10 original series. Not close to the top 5 shows of the year for me, but right in the next group.
I do think original anime are beginning to resemble each other too much for the most part, and seem to be trying to emulate the LN aesthetic in a lot of cases. Just a function of the production committee system.
dc22
January 13, 2020 at 9:38 pmPerfect top 4, everything else is pretty much a tier below in my opinion and doesn’t really matter the order.
slazer
January 14, 2020 at 2:37 amI did find it really interesting that on your decade list you said that Mob Psycho was the one that was closest to missing it, but then Dororo beat it out on your list for 2019. Was that because of the addition of the first season and taking the thing as a whole?
Guardian Enzo
January 14, 2020 at 7:48 amMore or less. And I did say “if you pressed me” – I honestly couldn’t say which series would have made it if I’d done a top 21. Might have been MP100 but I might have gone for Dororo in the end. Or even Hourou Musuko or Baby Steps or Hi Score Girl.
Kim
January 14, 2020 at 3:35 amYour readers are definitely not the average anime fan. And that’s a good thing in my book